Brenda Blethyn says 'it was time' for Vera to come to an end
Kenny Doughty, star of the iconic ITV detective drama Vera, has secured his next project following the conclusion of the show earlier this month.
DCI Vera Stanhope, portrayed by Brenda Blethyn, officially retired her trench coat at the beginning of 2025 after a 14-year tenure solving crimes in the Newcastle-based ITV drama.
However, it was the penultimate season when her crime-solving partner DS Aiden Healy, played by Kenny Doughty, exited the show after nearly a decade, having first joined in season five.
DS Healy chose to embark on a new journey during the 2023 Christmas special The Rising Tide, leaving the team to start anew in Perth, Australia.
Now, the 49-year-old actor is moving forward from Vera, securing his first role since his time as the detective sergeant.
Doughty is set to feature in the upcoming Channel 5 thriller The Au Pair, which is currently in post-production.
The Vera actor isn't the only recognisable face in the four-part drama as Sir David Suchet, renowned for his portrayal of Hercule Poirot for over two decades, will also be starring.
They will be joined by Not Going Out and Beyond Paradise star Sally Bretton and Lupin actress Ludmilla Makowski.
In the mini-series, Suchet plays George, a diabetic father who relocates to live next door to his adult daughter Zoe (Sally Bretton) and her successful husband Chris (Kenny Doughty).
Zoe employs Sandrine (Ludmilla Makowski) as an au pair, sparking some suspicious activities within the household.
The Au Pair is set to explore "into the complexities of family, trust and hidden truths, against the backdrop of the picturesque British countryside".
While an official release date has yet to be announced, there's buzz that it might grace Channel 5 screens in the upcoming months.
Vera is available to watch on ITV and ITVX.
